Professor Sheila Singh awarded the Canadian Cancer Society Robert L. Noble Prize

CDCR Director Dr. Sheila Singh is a co-recipient of the 2023 Robert L. Noble Prize from the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)!

The Robert L. Noble Prize is given for outstanding basic biomedical cancer research achievements. It is named in honour of Dr. Noble, an esteemed Canadian investigator whose research in the 1950s led to the discovery of vinblastine, a widely used anticancer drug. At the time, vinblastine was one of the most effective treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma. The recipient of this award will be an investigator permanently residing in Canada whose contributions have led to significant accomplishments in a body of work in basic biomedical cancer research and who is normally still engaged in the conduct of cancer research.

Dr. Sheila Singh is one of the foremost pediatric neurosurgeons in Canada. Her accomplishments in research, clinical scholarship, mentorship, and education have contributed significantly to biomedical cancer research.

A specialist in stem cell biology, Dr Singh is well-known for being the first scientist to isolate a specific type of abnormal stem cell found in the central nervous system. These cells are linked to 12 different types of brain tumours, including pediatric medulloblastoma, the most common brain tumour in children. This groundbreaking discovery, which the Canadian Cancer Society supported, has led to numerous studies in her lab to understand how brain tumours develop.

Throughout her career, Dr Singh has secured 104 grants, totalling more than $28 million in funding. She has also published over 230 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and filed 17 patents. She owns a substantial amount of intellectual property relating to her discovery of cancer stem cells and the use of a specific stem cell marker.

In her lab and through the many programs she leads, Dr Singh fosters a positive learning environment for trainees, postgraduate fellows, residents, neurosurgical fellows, and clinical scholars. She champions equity, diversity, and inclusion and actively recruits students from underrepresented groups, working to remove any barriers and enable them to achieve their educational and career goals. She has developed research and academic programs across the spectrum of brain cancer and was the inaugural director of the McMaster Surgeon Scientist Program for the Royal College of Surgeons.

Through her exceptional achievements, Dr Singh has profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of people worldwide who are affected by brain cancer.

Each CCS award also includes a $20,000 contribution to the recipient’s research program.

More information is here on the Canadian Cancer Society website.

Congratulations, Dr. Singh!